Baywest Medical Information

If there is a life-threatening emergency – even if you’re not certain – always call 000. Otherwise telephone us on (07) 3396 5309 and you will be advised of the best course of action.

AFTER HOURS

Medical care is available on a 24-hour basis covered by the Home Doctor Service. If you require medical attention outside our opening hours, please telephone 137 425 (13 SICK) and you will be advised of current arrangements. If on occasion you are seen by a Doctor from Home Doctor Service, a full written report will be faxed to us for inclusion in your records, the next day. We team with Home Doctor Services to ensure our patients have quality medical care available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

CONSULTATION FEES (Most Common)

FEES

Baywest Medical Centre is a private billing practice. Fees vary according to the length and complexity of the service and are payable at the time of consultation. We accept cash, cheque, EFTPOS, Mastercard and Visa credit cards. Medicare rebates are processed electronically. For those in difficult circumstances, exceptions can be made. Other costs may be incurred for further procedures within the practice e.g. ECGs, Lung function testing, nurse procedural fee.

Item Description

Private Fee

Gap

Pensioner Fee

Gap

Rebate

23 – Standard

$77.00

$39.95

$57.00

$19.95

$37.05

36 – Long

$120.00

$48.30

$93.00

$21.30

$71.70

44 – Prolonged

$175.00

$69.45

$141.00

$35.45

$105.55

Out of Hours Appointments – Fees

Brief Consultation $51.00 Rebate is $29.00 so a Gap fee of $22.00

Standard Consultation $89.00 Rebate is $49.00 so a Gap Fee of $40.00

Because of the increasing costs of providing our services, our fees are adjusted yearly. Unfortunately, the Medicare rebates have been “frozen” by the Federal Government, so the gap between our fee and the amount you are reimbursed by Medicare is greater. We understand this is a difficult situation for many of our patients, and encourage you to lobby your local federal member, and the Health Minister about this. More information about this can be found on the RACGP website: http://yourgp.racgp.org.au/Your-GP/antifreeze.

Veterans Affairs Patients will be bulk billed.

ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION

Electronic communication is available through the email address manager@baywestmedical.com.au Email messages will be forwarded to the appropriate doctor or staff member and a response will be given in a timely manner. Email should not be used for booking or cancelling appointments. All appointments should be made and cancelled via calling us on 07 3396 5309. Our written policy on receiving and returning electronic communication can be requested from reception. Please note that patient health information is not able to be transmitted via email. It will be faxed or posted.

FEE NON-ATTENDANCE

A fee will be charged for non-attendance of appointments. This will be $25.00 for a standard consultation or $50.00 for a long appointment that has been booked but not attended. Extenuating circumstances will always be taken into account.

HOUSE VISITS

Doctors perform home visits when appropriate, and if time allows. However they are generally restricted to those who are too frail or ill to get to the surgery. We have better facilities to accurately diagnose and treat you at the practice than are possible at home.

INTERPRETING SERVICE

For those speaking a language other than English, a telephone interpreting service is available free of charge. If you (or a family member or friend) require this service, please inform the receptionist when making your appointment or telephone the interpreting hotline on 131 450.

MEDICAL CERTIFICATES

These are available for genuine illnesses and only if you attend the surgery for a consultation. It is illegal to do otherwise, as it is to provide a retrospective or post-dated certificate.

MISSION STATEMENT

Our mission is to provide the highest standard of patient care whilst incorporating a holistic approach toward diagnosis and management of illness.

MY HEALTH RECORD

Having a My Health Record means your important health information like allergies, current conditions and treatments, medicine details, pathology reports or diagnostic imaging scan reports can be digitally stored in one place. Healthcare providers like doctors, specialists and hospital staff can see these details online from anywhere at any time when they need to, such as in an accident or emergency. Speak to your doctor about registering. For more information click here

RECALLS AND REMINDERS

Patients may be advised of recalls or reminders by phone, or SMS, or letter.

REPEAT PRESCRIPTION

Most scripts are written by the doctor to provide sufficient medication until your condition needs to be reviewed; repeat scripts are therefore generally only provided at a consultation (and not over the phone).

Your family doctor is highly trained to deal with most medical problems, but may need occasionally to refer you to a specialist. To receive a Medicare rebate for a specialist visit, you need a referral, and will need to see your doctor first. As it is illegal to backdate referrals, please do not ask us to break the law. The specialist is providing consultant advice to your GP, so it is important that you discuss the specialist’s opinion and advice with the doctor who referred you, following your visit with the specialist. Specialist consultations are not bulk-billed. Please check the out of pocket cost when you book your appointment.

TELEPHONE CALLS

Our switchboard is very busy early in the morning with patients making appointments. We would appreciate patients who have non-urgent queries to phone later in the morning. Doctors who are busy consulting will return calls as soon as practical/as soon as they are able. Emergency calls are an exception and will be taken immediately.

TEST RESULTS

Where blood tests or other investigations have been ordered, you will generally need to make a follow-up appointment to discuss the results. If the doctor is concerned about your results, the staff at Baywest Medical Centre will contact you to make an appointment. To ensure confidentiality, test results will not be given over the phone.

SUGGESTIONS AND COMPLAINTS

Baywest Medical Centre aims to serve you the best way we can. We welcome your suggestions on how we can improve. We take your concerns, suggestions and complaints seriously. Please feel free to talk to your Doctor or our Practice Manager, Jane Pocock, or send an e-mail to manager@baywestmedical.com.au

If you are making an appointment for childhood, influenza or travel vaccinations, or for wound care, please let our receptionist know. A practice nurse will be available at certain times to assist with these procedures.

YOUR PRIVACY

Baywest Medical Clinic respects your privacy. Your medical record is a confidential document. It is the policy of this practice to maintain security of personal health information at all times and to ensure that this information is only available to authorised members of staff.

CONSENT TO COLLECTION OF PERSONAL AND HEALTHCARE INFORMATION As a patient of this medical practice, we require you to provide us with your personal details and a full medical history, so that we may properly assess, diagnose, treat and be proactive in your health care needs. We aim to protect the privacy of your health information at all times. You can request a copy of our privacy policy, which includes information about the collection, use and disclosure of your health information and making a complaint about a breach of your privacy.

We require your consent to allow us to collect and use your personal information for the following reasons:

Administrative purposes

Billing purposes (including compliance with Medicare and the Department of Health and Ageing requirements) Disclosure to others involved in your healthcare. This may include allied health professionals, other specialists and health practitioners outside of this practice. This may occur through referral to others or for medical tests and in the reports or results returned to us following referral.

For research and quality improvement purposes to improve individual and community health care and practice management (this will only be information that does not identify individual patients) To comply with regulatory or legislative requirements such as notifiable diseases or where the health and well-being of you or other/s is at significant risk of harm.

For reminders and recalls which may be sent to you by sms, email or letter regarding your healthcare and management.